Today we’d like to introduce you to Cardell Smith.
Hi Cardell, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Getting started wasn’t the easiest. I worked at the Ritz Carlton of New Orleans for three years and transfer to the Ritz Carlton Buckhead GA and worked there for two years moved on to The University of Alabama and was there for two years but I had a lot of free time during the summer and I knew I had to make some money somehow…went back home to Louisiana and decided to start frying wings and fries in my parent’s backyard….I sold a few plates here and there nothing too major..and then I said well since I was the saucier at the Ritz Carlton..hey why not make my own sauces…and then from there that’s where the…Chipotle crown apple and Sweet Heat Hennessy sauce was created and from there we now have 13 flavor wings sauces! But even coming from the back yard I still didn’t see myself owning my own business…I had and still have a lot of support from my family and friends who helped me and wasn’t looking to get paid because they already seen the bigger picture and how much passion and love I wanted to put into this…came from the backyard and moved everything in my parent’s garage because business was picking up…so I took over my parent’s garage with my 1 fryer and a flat top..and from there my dad son, I think its time for a food truck…I was nervous as hell because I’m like dad, you think people going to come and support me on the food truck? So we went to Orlando FL and picked up the food trailer and came back to my hometown (Laplace, Louisiana) and start selling food in the driveway of my parent’s house. The line was all the way down the street after I post it on social media…then code enforcement came to shut me down…..and said it’s not a commercial area so you need to stop selling food…but the thing about God…you can’t stop what he has for you…later on that night I received and email from someone name Bradley Becnel that changed my life…and he told me that he had a place for me to sit my food trailer on and start serving food…and since then! We be ROLLING BABY!!!!!!!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hasn’t been smooth at all..having a food trailer is a lil difficult because we have more problems to worry about like the generator going out on us…or if the truck that we are using to pull the food trailer had a flat tire or anything like that…can stop us from opening or push our time back….
We’ve been impressed with Kajun Kidd Burgers and Wings, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our wings, burgers and sides stand out from everyone else because I have a creative mind-frame that puts me in a different category… in this food industry…the thing that sells is being unique and different from the next person…but also being YOU! Kajun Kidd Burgers and Wings is not only a food truck..but we are a vibe and an experience! From the cheesecakes, tacos, burgers, wings, and sides like the crabcake shrimp fried rice down to the crawfish mac and cheese…even to the homemade lemonades! You can never go wrong!!! And like the younger generation say! WE DON’T MISS! Lol… Ever since I got the chance to be on Food Network Cooks vs Cons…I just knew that it was a place for me to be an entrepreneur in this industry! So that’s where I started Kajun Kidd Burgers & Wings.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I love to go on YouTube and listen to Steve Harvey, and Eric Thomas…hearing their motivation and story about life…always pushes me to do more….and make me go harder on myself! For as podcast is considered I love listening to “discover your destiny with Steve Allen & food truck scholar podcast are amazing!!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheKajunKidd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kajunkiddbw/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/kajunkiddbw/photos/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kajunkiddbw?lang=en
